The founder of the Canadian Nazi Party, John Beattie, is running for deputy head of the town council in an Ontario community.

Beattie, who led violent Nazi rallies in Toronto 50 years ago and painted swastikas on the lawns of its prominent Jewish residents, is a candidate in the Township of Minden Hills, which has a population of 5,600, the Toronto Sun reported.

Beattie told the newspaper that he was manipulated by the Canadian Jewish Congress into founding the Canadian Nazi Party in order to get hate-speech laws passed. Bernie Farber, a former CEO of the Congress, denied the accusation.

According to the Star, Beattie remains in contact with right-wing activists and still espouses right-wing propaganda.

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